/11 T tL A.J.G. At U. UJTJV ME E, TINrG. (AUSTRALIAN .ASSOtcIAI DI) PRESS 'r.Io(ImAMS.) FoURcTI DAY. RAxleDwic, April 22. The weather being again line, there was a large attendance on the course, including his Excellency the Governor and party. The Rous Handicap was won by Timothy, after a close race with Clifton. A.T. had an easy victory in the Randwiek HIandicap, for which he started at even monely. The three miles race excited the greatest interest, and was won by lobiun Hood, after a splendid struggle at the finish with Richmond and Kingsborough, who were second and third respectively. The Steeplechase fell to Hotspur, and the Nursery Hliandicapl to Queen's ]I-ead, who won by a hesad in front of Tradition. The Forced Handicap was won by Rapid Bay, after one false start, and the horses had run the dis tance. Rous THAxsnc.au, a sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, with 100 sovs. added, for three-year olds. One mile and three furlongs. E. De olestre's b c Timothy, by Tim W hifller (Sydney...

COMMERCIAL. MELBOURNE PRODUCE MIARKET. Saturday Evening. The A ye reports :--The week's trade wsas b rought to a quiet close to-day, no trans action possessingl more than ordinary in terest being entered into. ]readstull's are without anuimationi; the demand is slack, and holders not being ainxious to push sales, there is very little business passing through hands. The lateness of the last harvest is expected to cause a corresponling delay in the publication of the agricultural statistics this year. Our weekly eotemporary, the Leader, however, lne, in its of to-day, given its annual estimate of the yield of the wheat crop at 15. bushels per acre from an area of :345,035 acres, or a total production of 5,348S,04-2 bushels, a quantity about covering the requiremlllents of the colony for seed aLnd consumption during the current year. W\\heat to-day was quoted at 5s Id to 5s 10d, bags iceluled, for prime Northern, with moderate oll'crins anls a dill inluiry. Colutry flour is sclling at ...

A USTRA IIAN MUTUALPROV??IDENT SOCIETY. [EstLablishcd 1840.] FOR LIFE ASSURANCE ON THE MUTUAL PRINCIPLE. The Oldest Mutual Life Office in Australia. The most important consideration for any one alout to insure his life should be the stability of.the ollice in which le is to invest his savings. The Board of Trade report on the Life Assurance Companies' Act, 1870, says : "The. Public cannot be misled if, when seeking an office in which to effect an insur ance, they select one which transacts its business at a small percentage of working cost, and does not anticipate its profits." This Society does not anticipate its profits, and is, and always has been, Economically Managed ; hence its great success, aml its ability to declare large bonuses. It has more than a MILLION AND THIIRE-QUARTERS STERLING, safely invested in Government and other first-class securities. The new regulations grant some very un usual privileges. Policies, without profits, are issued at lower rates than those of an...

TALK AWOUT TOIVj. The t:lk is that the town pump is to he slhifted, anil that it is surprising to see thle ap;atthlitic mainncr with which the peopldle o Colae treat such an important subject. I weulhl suggest that the day the punmp is re mov\ed from its prescnt site lie proclaimed a public holiday, and that the President and C'unucillors march in procession, witlh the Colac Ihass Band at their head, and S-amn tluck anl the' Shire Engineer bearing the pulmp aloft in mid-air triumlpham;ntly hehinld, the Band playing tihe "Cold Water Cure." This would elevate the subject to its proper altitude, and the time-honored observances of Little Iedlington would thus be properly connemnorated. Thle Colac Good ''eiml ipars miight afterwards sit round the plmnp and sing Shall we not drink cold water when we sit down to dineli? OhIyes, my friends, oh yes, for is it not poured out lby, hands divine. Andlso on ad.- lib. I hope that this affair will receive the important consideration it really dese...

AGRItULTRAL NOTiES The genial weather which has followed the late heavy rains is being attended with the best effects on the pastures, and is at the same time most seasonable for the push ing forward of ploughing and sowing .opera tions. Acorrespondent whohas justconcludedi a run through the Wimmera district informs us that ploughing is the order of the day, and in some instances wheat has been sown. A good many of the ploughs in use are double-furrow, and from the friable nature of the surface soil they work with the greatest ease, drawn by three, and sometimes by a pair of horses. A considerable extent of new land is broken up this season and it will all be put under wheat. A good pro portion of last crop still remains in the farmer's lhands, while the whole of the avail able storage acconmmodation, in iHorsham is absorbed for wheat awaiting transport to Stawell (forty-four miles) by drays and waggons, thence to be sent by rail to Mel bourne. At Stawell, also, the liroduce stores ...

NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDxEY, April 24. Further oflicial advices from Cook town state that the HIodginson rush is a total failure, and the diggers are looking for Mulligan to hang him. Eight hundred diggers, returning to Cooktoewn, threaten to burn the 1Herald office. Serious riots are expected. At the Palmer great distress is prevalent. The Government has caused a proclamation with reference to the above to be posted about the city. The foundation stone of the Prince Alfred Hospital was laid to-day by the Governor.

FREE LIBRAR?AlrY COJLJfIYIT.'EE. A meeting of the above Committee took place at the institution oni Monday evening last, when the following were present :--lev. J. Dickie (Chairman) Messrs. Sitlington, Rea, A. Wilson, and P. Danalher, Acting-Secretary. The minutes of tile previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From George Robertson, bookseller, Melboune, explaining with reference to non-arrival of magazines by the last mail. The following accounts were pre sented :-G. Robertson, £7 4s; G. Mercer, £1 1l s 4d; Evans Brothers, £1 13s Gdl; I. Franks, £9 Ss 3d; Colac Times, 5s Gd. The sum of £1 5s was paid to tlhe Treasurer, Mr. A. Wilson. This in cluded a donation of 10s, through Mr. J. J. Johnson, from George HIyne, and a subscription of 5s from Mr. Thomas Clarke. The Secretary was instructed to write, tlhanking Mr. HIyne for his dondtion. The Chairman enquired whether any donation had been received from the Colac Shire Council. Tile Treasurer said that he was ab sen...

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE, April 24. It is reported that the Government intended confining ad valoree duties to the amount of 5 per cent., and largely increasing the free list. The first business to be transacted when Parliament meets is the Railway and Loan Bill.

MR. BELL EXPLAINS. ('TO TIE EDITOR OF THE iIERALD.) Sen,-I notice a slight mistake in your last issue, concerning a meeting of the Friendly Societies' Sports Committee, which was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Colac, last Wednesday evening, and which I trust you will not neglect to correct. I am sorry to say that some of our neighbors are rather fast betimes; it appears they want to pick a man up before lie has properly fallen. Now one of these neighbors has written is letter headed "Dirty Work," and signs himself "Fair Play." He says, if my state ment be correct, that I jostled Hancock in a glaring manner in the third event for the Friendly Societies' Cup, and tried hard to prevent him (Hancock) from winning, owiug to some arrangement made between Michael Hardiman and myself, which I an prepared to prove is false. My statement, made at the meeting, was that no one spoke to me about running Hancock oftl and that my reason for runnintn up the hill was to enable Hancock to get the insi...

£.ORRIJSI'O.NVDIA rYC.E. It is to be distinctly understood that we do not identify ourselves with the opinions of our correspondents.-E-DIro.] A RETRACTION. (TO 'inE DIUnrro Ofr TIIE iIEiRALE.) Smi,-1 regret that I should have unwit tingly done a wrong to MIr. Joseph Bell, in my last letter respecting the jostling which took place when the third evnt for the Friendly Societies' Cup was being run at the Colac Sports on Easter Monday. I based my remarks on the assumption that Bell had stated he jostled young Hancock in conse quence of an " arrangement " betweeni Michael Hardiman, I'Mullcln's trainer, and himself. As it now turns out that Bell did not inake such a st;atmenlit, I freely apologise to him for my remarks. I received my information froin what I thought an authen tic source, otherwise 1 should not have said anything about the jostling. I anm, Sir &amp;oe. CFAIR PLAY. Colac, April 24, 1S76.

LATEST AUSTRALIAN. TELEGRAMS. (AUSTI'ALIAN ASSOClIArgI'o RI(ESS T.LE(IRAMS.) VICTORIA. IELIBOURINE, Monday, S p.m. A meeting of the Cabinet was held to-day with reference to Messrs. Ste veonson's letters, but the decision will not be made known until to-morrow, as ccertain conditions are attached to it. Snumnonses lhave been taken out against George Stevenson and G. F. Brind, his managing man, for resisting the Cus toms officers. The case will be heard at the City Court onil Thursday. The Governor will be accompanied to the Westesn district to-morrow by four MIinisters, namely, Sir James M'Culloch, and Messrs. Jones, Kerferd, and Riamsay. The Chinese lottery cases, which were to have bcon heard to-day, have been postponed for a week. The cable between Java and Port Darwin is interrupted altogether, isolat ing Australia fromn direct comumunica tion. The Rev. T. F. Bird's funeral to-day was very largely attended. During a fire at Windsor last night a IMr. Mills and his wife were very ...

UNNECESSARY DELAY. ('o TIIE EDITOR OF TILE II.ERALD.) Srni,-I am not a grumbler, but I think that I have just cause to grumble on the present occasion. Some months ago (in September last) 1 was awarded a prize at the Spring show of the Polwarth and South Grenville Pastoral, Agricultural, and Horti cultural Society. I have applied for my prize several times, but have been sent from the Secretary to the jeweller, and viee versa, and now after waiting all this time, I amn told that I will get it in a ' day or two." I do not know the cause of this delay, or what difficulty there is in the way, but it is evi dently not fair that 1 should le served ini this maunner. I have heard of others being treated in a; similar way. Perhaps thi Secretary will now endeavor to have this little imatter rectilied. I am, Sir, &amp;e., A PRIZETAKEII. Colac, April 2.1, 1876.

[.vE):IITIsEI:? ENT. j rptl.t IvATIOasAL REFORM L LEAGUE OF VICTOItLA. NANIFES'I'O. It is a fulidamental principle ,f the Englisi Consttitution that rep-esentation should go with taxation. It is an in alienable light of a free people that they should make their own laws. I'he people of this conutry live under a constitution which, while leaving them comparatively free to elect their own representatives pra. ticailly deprives their representatives of all legislative power. The Legislative Asscmbly, which is elected by the whole people, is constantly obstructed by the Legislative Council, which reoresents only a portion of the communnity, thet portion b:eing the propertied class. Legislative action on the part of the people has, there fore. become a nullity, and self-govern ttent a sham. In every civilized country in the world a land tax is cue of the chief sources of revenue for the State. In a country like this, where the State out of the general revenue grants large a:nnual subside...

T'E' GUNTUAi' WANG JIURDJ'R. On the 18th inst., at the Mudgee Assizes, before Mr. Justice Fawcett, George Pitt uw?? indicted with having, at Gentawang, on: the" 25th December, 1875, wilfully and nali ciously murdered Ann Mary Martin. Mr. Foster prosecuted. The* prisorfer,. whod pleaded not guilty, was, defended by AIr. Buchuana1, instructed byh Mr.. G,: David son. The unfortunate victim kept a public-. house at Gunita% ung, and oni the night of Christmas Day was proceeding to bed, ac companied by Kate L'Estrange, - school teacher, her niece, when prisoner called-her to the door. She went into the passage, and, prisoner, who confessed his crime to persons n ithe premises, mortally stabbed her with a knife which he had bor rowed, 'us he allegedl, for .the purpose of fcutingf his corns. The charge was proved byh:'lic' evidence of the alhovenamed Kate L'Estrange, Joseph leares, Edward Booley, I Jane Smith, Charlcs Fci-ster, and other lit nesses. Counsel for the defence haviiig' addresse...

A .FIG6T WITH A BURGLAR. About three o'clock on the inorning ?of February 2, two men,. masked and.armed for desperate work, entered the residence of George A Kent, 161 Court-Street. Mr. Kent and his wife were asleep in their room, which is on the first floor, on the west side of the house, and opens into the sitting room. Their youngest child was asleep in a crib at the side of the bed. About 3 o'clock he was awakened.by hearing the creaking of a door. Some presentiment of darger came over him, and lie resolved to get up and see what was the matter. Waking his wife, he yawned and rolled over, remarking in a cool mattei-of-fact tone, that he was going to get up. His wife asked him why, and Mr. Kent replied that lie was going into the bathroom. This was, of course, a more excuse, but Mr. Kent had planned the whole thing, thinking that if there was anyone within hearing he would be thrown off his guard. Mr. Kent slowly raised himself up in bed and stepped out on the floor. He walked in...

L IELBOURNE STATION PRODUCE REPORT. April 26. Messrs. J,. H. CtLouoni and Co. report Wool-Since our report by last mail there has been only ,s sma1l amount of business transacted, as is usial at this period of the year, the Wool season having been virtually closed -a couple of months ago ; the wool brought forward during the month has con sisted principally of remnants of clips already shipped, and a few lato shorn odd lots, &amp;c., and has comprised about 1200 bales offered by auction, of which about 1100 has changed hands, at prices which have generally been somewhat in favor of the buyers, but which, considering the declining condition of the home markets, has been on the whole satis. factory. Total number of bales shipped to date, 237,53L Sheepskdins-During tho month we have had a large supply forward at our sales, all of wlich have been taken by the local felmpongers ; prices, however, ;nring the, hlastweek have .declined; and present quotations are- Butcher's green pelts,...

AŽ SUBSIDISED; NE-IFSPAP rse • . ISPOSED. ' The Ciemglerdomn Chrnnicle, a liaper started at Camperdoivn by a few squatters some eighteen months since, having struggled on a eniscrable eistcece for some tine past, has suddenly, appeared- in .a greatly, ednlarged formn nad" containing a niunber of .metro politan advertisements.. The. organ whlch represents public opinion at Camperdown, the lielcipdeL"Guiardianel, after a .few pre liminary 'observations, thus ruthlessly ex poses thes tactics of the squatting conspirators and their "venerable" tool : Eighteen .months' experience of the exist ence of a siibsidised paper in the Camper down district, has fully and unmistakably confirmed the truth of the statements then advanced by us. It has been proved beyond a doubt that the district cannot and will not support two papers, and when we assert, as we do without any hesitation, that the squatting organ here has actually received no encouragement in the district in which it has elected to ci...